How good is debuffing in this game? Nice for ice?

billp_ESO · December 2016

I remember one comic book MMO where debuffing was a huge part of the game. You could debuff for:
- movement speed
- attack speed
- attack damage
- healing received
- resistances
- remove buffs

With a really good debuffer, you almost didn't need a healer. Reduce the enemy's dmg done by 15%, reduce his resistances so he takes more damage, slow down his attack speed, reduce his movement speed, reduce the amount of healing he can receive, take down his buffs, and the boss becomes a wet kleenex. You didn't need massive damage to take him down.

In particular, the ice skills were less powerful than the fire damage, but all of the ice skills had some kind of debuff added, so the net effect was about the same.

Is this true in ESO? Can you make a debuffer build that is viable? Sure, he wouldn't post massive dmg numbers, but then you don't need massive damage when you are fighting kittens.

Danksta · December 2016

Buffing and debuffing in this game is mostly considered the responsibility of the healer and tank.

idk · December 2016

All that listed for rebuffing exists except for the Removing of buffs.

Much of it is done by the healer and tank but some is performed exclusively by dps and at some can be performed by multiple roles.

There is also buffing. Some of the buffing is done by the healers and tanks while others are performed by dps. Some buffs can be done by anyone with access.

It's important for end game content. Especially for a progression group.

Jamini · December 2016

Frankly, no.

Despite what some people here are saying, the buffer/debuffer support role is dead. Tanks and healers have been forced to halfassedly fill these roles in modern MMOS in addition to performing their actual function while everyone else plays a glass cannon DPS.

The playstyle you want has been dead for years. Blame the DD players and soloists who caused it to happen.

idk · December 2016

Jamini wrote: »

Frankly, no.

Despite what some people here are saying, the buffer/debuffer support role is dead. Tanks and healers have been forced to halfassedly fill these roles in modern MMOS in addition to performing their actual function while everyone else plays a glass cannon DPS.

The playstyle you want has been dead for years. Blame the DD players and soloists who caused it to happen.

A good healer doesn't "halfassedly" fill the role. They do it just fine.

Additionally, the current builds are not Glass cannons. ESO's design doesn't really work well for a glass cannon. Of course for those that are working to learn the mechanics of the game it helps to add some health.

billp_ESO · December 2016

Jamini wrote: »

Frankly, no.

Despite what some people here are saying, the buffer/debuffer support role is dead. Tanks and healers have been forced to halfassedly fill these roles in modern MMOS in addition to performing their actual function while everyone else plays a glass cannon DPS.

The playstyle you want has been dead for years. Blame the DD players and soloists who caused it to happen.

Kind of what I was afraid of. I was looking at all the skills, and although there are some debuffs, it doesn't look like there are enough to make that the main focus of a character. It's a shame too, since that provides a bit of variety. Instead of doing 20% more damage to an enemy, you force him to do 20% less damage.

I was thinking this might be a good role for a frost-based character, since ice/frost seems to be underwhelming in ESO.

SublimeSparo · December 2016

billp_ESO wrote: »

I remember one comic book MMO where debuffing was a huge part of the game. You could debuff for:
- movement speed bosses are immune to cc effects
- attack speed. bosses have fixed attack speeds/rotations
- attack damage. minor maim is generally applied by the tank using heroic slash/ choking talons/ nb shades, healing mage set/enchanments reduce boss weapon damage by ~450
- healing received. several sources for defile- dark flare, dragonknight standard, Incapacitating Strike, reverb bash, disease enchants
- resistances. major breach/fracture applied by tanks main taunt/ Elemental drain/noxious breath/ surprise attack. minor breach/fracture from power of the light/poisons. Alkosh, sunderflame, nightmothers gaze, crusher enchanments
- remove buffs doesn't really exist in game tbh
- many of these effects can also be applied via poisons

With a really good debuffer, you almost didn't need a healer. Reduce the enemy's dmg done by 15%, reduce his resistances so he takes more damage, slow down his attack speed, reduce his movement speed, reduce the amount of healing he can receive, take down his buffs, and the boss becomes a wet kleenex. You didn't need massive damage to take him down.

In particular, the ice skills were less powerful than the fire damage, but all of the ice skills had some kind of debuff added, so the net effect was about the same.

Is this true in ESO? Can you make a debuffer build that is viable? Sure, he wouldn't post massive dmg numbers, but then you don't need massive damage when you are fighting kittens.

In a trial situation with multiple stamina dps (rare) there is a role for a stamina debuffer, usually running a combination of Night mother's gaze and sunderflame/ alkosh, it's usually a stamina templar also running power of the light